At recent campaign events, Scott has consistently reminded voters of his support for Trump-era policies — namely his work as one of the co-authors of Trump’s 2017 tax cut. No surprise that he made sure to mention it tonight.
A notable shift in this debate: The candidates are the first ones to name-check Trump, potentially previewing how they’re more willing to draw a contrast with the front-runner. During the first debate, the first mention of Trump’s name came from the moderators.
Newsom on the real debate
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is at the debate as a Biden surrogate, commented on the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce dating rumors when asked by TMZ:
Reporter: Governor, Taylor Swift on dating Travis Kelce — what’s your take?
Newsom: Come on, man, I know it’s actually the only thing people are talking about. They ain’t going to be tuning [into] the debate, that’s the real debate. Is it real or is it not? I don’t know.
The context for the child care funding expiring this weekend that Scott was just asked about: It will be left up to individual states to handle, and child care centers are largely planning to increase tuition charges to cover the difference. When he says, “We should let the American people keep their money,” the solutions he just laid out wouldn’t necessarily reduce increasing costs around child care, even if they promote school choice for parents.
Scott is dodging on this question now, but there is a consistent push from Democrats in Congress for renewing things like the Child Tax Credit and discussion of whether, with child care bloc grants expiring, to continue those, as well. But it’s most likely not going anywhere, because Republicans in the House don’t back it and Senate Republicans don’t in large enough numbers.
Kristen Welker notes: In a sign he is shifting strategy and sharpening his tone, DeSantis says Trump is "missing in action" for missing the first two debates. It is notable that he is just speaking for the first time 16 minutes into the debate.
Ben Kamisar responds: Wonder if DeSantis was hoping he could deliver that line attacking Trump for not being on the debate stage before another candidate could get to it. As Kristen Welker smartly noted just a few minutes ago, Christie used his time to make the same point.
Allan Smith points out: DeSantis comes out firing in criticizing not only Biden, but Trump. Clearly, a part of his game plan was to drag Trump into this fight more than the former president was last month. And DeSantis is directly connecting Trump not being on stage with him not being a strong leader.
Alec Hernández observes: A striking moment to hear DeSantis name-check Donald Trump on the debate stage. He’s been ramping up his attacks on the former president in recent weeks, saying just yesterday about debating Trump that he “should step up to the plate and then we’ll do it. I mean, I think we can talk about a lot of the things. He’s running in 2024 on a lot of the same promises he ran on in 2016 and didn’t deliver on.”
DeSantis does it. He goes after Trump.
DeSantis has danced around his assaults on Trump. Tonight produced a direct hit. "You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump. He should be on the stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record."
It was a bold move by DeSantis, who went out of his way to bring up Trump.
Even allies have said DeSantis needs a big win tonight if he's to keep his bid alive.
DeSantis goes after Washington, D.C.
DeSantis not only railed at Trump for not being on the stage; he also attacked all of Washington for being to blame for the nation’s debt. One thing he did NOT mention: He was a member of Congress — in Washington — from 2013 to 2018.
DeSantis’ first words at 9:16.
What’s striking about this conversation on the government shutdown: DeSantis — and Trump — have backed up hard-line conservatives who are consistent thorns in McCarthy’s side. Haley, by contrast, has spoken against the effectiveness of a shutdown as a tactic, putting her in opposition to one of her only congressional endorsers, Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina.
Christie takes the first big swipe at Trump for not being on the debate stage and instead hiding on the golf course. Christie’s goal is to keep the focus on Trump, but still, it’s an open question how effective he can be with this strategy.